Alta Error Codes

[OneLapper]

We should start keeping track of the error codes and what they mean.

Code 007 - Battery isolation -- Reference: Code 007 isolation
Code 32 - Service Required -- Reference: Error: Service Required Neg Weld
Code 33 - Service Soon -- Reference: Warnings on dashboard on new MXR
Code 34 - Service Required -- Reference: Error: Service Required Pos Weld
Code 35 - Service Soon -- Reference: Display Functions and Firmware Version
Code 36 - Battery Fault -- Reference: Code 36 service required??? Per ex-Alta employee "It's a voltage imbalance within one or more of the battery modules. It indicated a possible interrupted connection between cells, a fault within the battery itself."
Code 37 - High humidity within battery pack -- Reference: code 37 high humidity in battery pack
Code 103 - Battery won't charge -- Reference: Alta Fast Charger, and also 2018 Alta fault code 103 second time
On the Display - Negative Contact Relay Failure -- Reference: MXR Negative Contact Relay Failure
On the Display - Cycle Key To Erase Battery Error -- Reference: Cycle Key To Erase Battery Error
On the Display - External Charger Fault -- Reference: External Charger Fault???!!!
On the Display - Inverter Throttle Fault -- Reference: Inverter Throttle Fault
On the Display - Service Required Pos Weld -- Reference: Error: Service Required Pos Weld

 

[Philip]

I have stickied this thread. Hope it does not grow too big. But if we keep seeing certain error codes we will hopefully know what they mean and what to do about them.

 

[Philip]

Thank you for maintaining this list, OneLapper.

 

[ageess]

Do we need the Laptop to reset the regular service light ?

 

[OneLapper]

There is no regular service light or indicator. If you have a light on the display that is on, you have a trouble code. That code will have to be read and hopefully reset using one of the laptops.

 

[datadog]

Do we need the Laptop to reset the regular service light ?

Yes. Is there a code displayed? Most codes that latch the service light will simply return if you reset the light.

 

[hightechnature]

I charged my new 2019 EXR today for the first time today to take it for a long ride. The battery was initially at 60% SOC and the bike had 2.5 hours on it and 22 miles. Upon first power to the battery, I got a red indicator on the lower left hand corner of the display glowing red and the display said Error 32. Then thre display dropped saying Error 32 and only said "service required neg weld". I powered down and recycled the key only to have the red service button no longer lit but the error now said " service required pos weld". Any inputs would be helpful. The bike has been ridden on the street and pretty mellow. No big bumps. Advice is helpful!

 

[Silent But Dirty]

That sucks.
As far as I know the previous solution for code 32 was a warenty replacement of the battery.

 

[Mark911]

That's a pisser, brand new bike.

Based on a few other owners I'd say you have a bad wire bond inside the battery pack, possibly two! (a positive and negative fuse wire). All that means (if true) is that the electrical connection to at least one individual 18650 cell (out of over 500) is open or intermittent. If it's open the other 5 cells in the affected parallel group will need to work 1/6 harder. The BMS will try and keep them balanced while riding but his assumes Alta incorporated an ACTIVE cell balancing system. For sure when you charge the system will try its hardest to balance that group. Over time however, that weak group will get to the point where the system can no longer balance it and it'll continue to get worse and worse, ultimately dictating voltage cutoff points which will affect range and overall performance. There's not much data on the long-term implications of riding the bike with this issue, so can't help you there.

Question, does the dash show 100% charge?

In any event don't get too wound up, I suspect a fix or at least several options for a repair are within months of being finalized.

 

[snydes]

I believe code 32 is a contactor issue not a cell issue, which may or may not be better. Either way it’s inside the battery and would have required a warranty replacement.

 

[OneLapper]

I believe there are a set of relays, or heave duty contacts, that close when the "start" button is pressed. Those contacts are within the battery. Maybe there is an issue with just the contacts and not the cells.

I haven't seen any images of these yet, maybe someone here has checked them out already.

Hopefully one of the ex-Alta guys can shed some light on the contacts. It could be dried out dielectric grease causing an issue. I've seen that in industrial equipment.

 

[datadog]

This error indicates a problem with the mechanical relay that puts the battery online. There is a bump in the top cover of the battery - this is where the contactor lives. Sometimes, and I stress the word sometines, you can rap that bump with a plastic mallet and free up the contactor. We had a couple of instances of this problem, and those batteries were replaced under warranty.

 

[OneLapper]

This error indicates a problem with the mechanical relay that puts the battery online. There is a bump in the top cover of the battery - this is where the contactor lives. Sometimes, and I stress the word sometines, you can rap that bump with a plastic mallet and free up the contactor. We had a couple of instances of this problem, and those batteries were replaced under warranty.

Thanks datadog! It appears that the Alta software is monitoring the resistance over these contacts, and if it's out of spec it pops a code.

I'm not suggesting that this be done, but in the industrial world contacts can be polished to remove pitting. I haven't seen these contacts, its possible they can be replaced if they can be identified. Again, I haven't seen them so I don't know if repairing or replacing them is practical or possible. Well, anything is possible......

I can understand why Alta replaced the battery packs if there was on a contact relay issue. Nothing a dealer could do about that.

 

[Redwolf]

Sounds like your solution at this point is just to get out and ride it, possibly the problem will sort itself out.

 

[Rashid510]

As Datadog said, tap it with a mallet...I offered to check out the bike...hes awfully quiet.

 

[Mark911]

Why the heck would a brand new bike have a problems with the contactor? Packs yes, as we know there were some quality/process problems on the line, but this is a spec part. Contactors take a lot of abuse over time, but again it's a new bike! Bad parts from the vendor? If so, I suspect we'll be see more of this failure.

My 17's been rock solid. I hope Alta didn't get too far ahead of themselves making so many improvements and/or cost savings decisions for 18/19 in an attempt to increase sales that they abandoned proper engineering and manufacturing process. There just seems to be too many misses on the newer bikes. I guess we can always just "hit it with a hammer"!

 

[Rashid510]

This did not happen with over/abandoned engineering and mfg processing @Mark911. Go look at Zero's and they get welded contactors across the FX and SR platforms...Since you have opened the battery up already you would know that the contactors are pretty solid. Even EV west sells the same contactors.


As you said earlier, lets not get wound up.

Also for everyone...the code list. Also certain codes are "flagged"/latched.

001: Complete
002: Start Timeout
003: HVIL Cancel
004: DC Disconnect
005: Soft Stop
006: Charger State Error
007: Isolation
101: Positive Relay Welded
102: Negative Relay Welded
103: Precharge Failed
104: No Proximity
105: AC Cable Disconnect
106: Internal Comms
107: Chassis CAN Timeout
108: Temperature High
109: External Comms
110: External Fault
111: Shutdown Timeout
112: Internal Voltage Low
113: DC Timeout
114: Boost Fail
115: Negative Relay Fail
116: AC Relays Welded
117: AC Relays Fail
118: Ground Absent
119: GFI Trip
120: GFI Reset Fail
121: GFI Test Fail
122: AC Voltage Low
123: AC Voltage High
124: Control Failure
125: Sensor Failure

 

[OneLapper]

This did not happen with over/abandoned engineering and mfg processing @Mark911. Go look at Zero's and they get welded contactors across the FX and SR platforms...Since you have opened the battery up already you would know that the contactors are pretty solid. Even EV west sells the same contactors.


As you said earlier, lets not get wound up.

Also for everyone...the code list. Also certain codes are "flagged"/latched.

001: Complete
002: Start Timeout
003: HVIL Cancel
004: DC Disconnect
005: Soft Stop
006: Charger State Error
007: Isolation
101: Positive Relay Welded
102: Negative Relay Welded
103: Precharge Failed
104: No Proximity
105: AC Cable Disconnect
106: Internal Comms
107: Chassis CAN Timeout
108: Temperature High
109: External Comms
110: External Fault
111: Shutdown Timeout
112: Internal Voltage Low
113: DC Timeout
114: Boost Fail
115: Negative Relay Fail
116: AC Relays Welded
117: AC Relays Fail
118: Ground Absent
119: GFI Trip
120: GFI Reset Fail
121: GFI Test Fail
122: AC Voltage Low
123: AC Voltage High
124: Control Failure
125: Sensor Failure

It doesn't look like the code number that comes up on the display matches these numbers. The full description is helpful.

 

[Mark911]

The fact that there's history of similar contactor problems on other electric bikes (not sure if it's the same part) is even more disturbing as Alta "should have known better". Also, even a proven part will be unreliable if it's mismatched to the system it's incorporated into. I'm no EV bike historian, but from my limited exposure my impression is that the Alta's bus voltage is considerably higher than most other OEMs. The chosen contactor along with any pre-charge/voltage switching components and algorithms would need to be qualified for this environment. Something went wrong somewhere . . . . .

 

[datadog]

It doesn't look like the code number that comes up on the display matches these numbers. The full description is helpful.

What Rashid posted are the charger fault codes which are listed in the diagnostic application on the dealer laptops. The code 32-38 are battery fault codes not related to charging.